Seattle — At 12:21 a.m., the Seattle Fire Department’s Fire Alarm Center received 911 calls reporting flames coming from the top floor of a four-story vacant building at the 400 block of 2nd Ave. W. in the Lower Queen Anne neighborhood. As firefighters arrived on scene, bystanders informed them that there may have seen a person on the roof of the building. Crews from Ladder 6 raised their aerial ladder to the roof to search the area and did not find anyone. Seattle Police officers informed our command that they witnessed several people evacuate from the building.
In the past year, the Seattle Fire Department has responded to two other significant fires in the building. One on Jan. 15, and another on June 12. Firefighters went into a defensive position by pouring water on the fire at a safe distance away from the building due to known hazardous conditions inside from these past incidents, in addition to the high heat and heavy smoke from the current fire. Aerial ladders breached windows on the fourth floor, then flowed water into the area. By 1:06 a.m., the majority of the fire was knocked down. Then declared under control at 1:50 a.m..
A few units remained on scene overnight to monitor for flare ups. No injuries were reported, and the incident is under investigation.
Photos by John Odegard.